Matamata

Matamata is a small rural town in the North Island of New Zealand, with 6,000 inhabitants and one of the largest towns in the Matamata-Piako District in the Waikato region.

The community consists of approximately 12,000 inhabitants located about 23 km east of Cambridge. The region around Matamata is well known for the breeding of thoroughbred horses.

Only 6,000 people, live in the city itself and the rest live in the rural environment. Hamilton is about 120 kilometers away from Matamata.

A farm area outside the city served as a location for the filming of the movie for the trilogy of The Lord of the Rings. The farm was made to be Hobbiton in the Shire and is now a tourist attraction.

The city also offers the opportunity for many leisure activities such as horseback riding, swimming, squash, golf and fishing and the hot water Opal Springs are a popular tourist destination.

Matamata has a State Primary School, a Christian Primary School, one intermediate school and a college. The college houses about 800 students, mostly farmers and children from the area. Casey Williams, a well-known Netball player is a former pupil. The Matamata College has many international exchange students.